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In this era of online shopping the innate strength of over-the-counter retailing is to be found in the real, spatial experiencing of brands and merchandise. Light not only presents the products but also determines the atmosphere, and therefore strengthens the direct shopping experiences. Light is presented in seductive or tempting ways according to the season to arouse new emotions with regard to merchandise. The unique presentation of the space and its products with use of light provides an essential component in its dialogue with customers.

Which tasks does light adopt in shops?

Thinking in lighting functions

In shops, lighting functions serve as a theoretical model for flexibly responding to a high diversity of display concepts and architectural situations, for modularly combining lighting solutions and scaling these according to needs.

Retail lighting needs to comply with a variety of requirements: in every project designers are faced with the challenge of bringing together the display of products, cost-efficiency targets, organisational framework conditions and the design aspects of a brand into a single concept. This spectrum of tasks also extends beyond the merchandise on tables and shelving. It begins with the facade and illumination of the entrance area and shop windows to also include the selling space, changing rooms and the cash desk as the conclusion of the purchase process.A theoretical model of lighting functions helps to evaluate the quality of lighting not just according to purely quantitative criteria such as illuminance figures: should a particular area welcome customers, communicate a brand message, display products, invite to stay and look around or provide information?At the start of each lighting project it makes sense for lighting designers to ask the following three questions for each required functional area:

Which architectural and functional importance does the room or spatial zone have?

Which tasks in a shop can lighting adopt to optimise the display of products?

Which individual lighting strategy and methods of lighting are suitable as the basis for lighting design?

Design in lighting functions

A comparison of lighting technology

Projection or reflection: what is the difference?

Efficiently and precisely illuminating shops

Spotlights, floodlights and wallwashers are flexible and efficient lighting tools for the effective presentation of products. The quality of lighting technology is not only decisive for the precise distribution of light and therefore enjoyable shopping experiences, but also for the long-term cost-efficiency of the lighting installation. When comparing the efficiency of luminaires, key figures need to be evaluated based on identical lighting tasks. In this regard, optical systems utilising the principle of projection via lenses benefit from qualitative and quantitative advantages compared to conventional reflector solutions. We show these advantages in our case study: A comparison of lighting technology.

International fashion labels can often be recognised as soon as you enter a store, just by their lighting. Local brands, in contrast, maintain their status against competitors with inventive concepts, exquisite quality, individual service – and the appropriate lighting. Be it car dealership, shopping mall or luxury boutique, furniture store or delicatessen: ERCO projects all around the world demonstrate the enormous spectrum for designers to use light with maximum efficiency as a distinctive quality of ERCO spotlights and downlights in shops.

From now on, for convenience and speed, we will be emailing the ERCO Newsletter in a digital format on a regular basis to help you keep up with the latest news from ERCO. We aim to ensure that you’re updated about events, awards, fresh lighting knowledge, project reports and product news along with reports from the lighting and architectural sectors. The publication is free and you can unsubscribe at any time.